The present invention relates to load storage equipment for storing loads.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-279,023 discloses a prior art automatic warehouse as load storage equipment. The warehouse is fitted with a pair of fixed racks extending in parallel and spaced from each other. Each of the fixed racks has a number of storage spaces or partitions arranged vertically and horizontally. The fixed racks define a traveling path between them. The warehouse is also fitted with a transferrer, which travels along the traveling path. The warehouse is further fitted with a pair of rotary racks, each of which is supported at one end of the path. Each of the rotary racks includes a number of storage spaces or partitions arranged vertically and circumferentially. The transferrer consists of a carriage, a pair of horizontal rails and a rail lifter. The carriage supports a turntable, which supports an arm, a hand or other means of transfer for transferring loads between the storage spaces of the fixed and rotary racks. The carriage can travel on the rails, which extend along the traveling path between the fixed racks. One of the fixed racks supports the rails, which can be moved vertically by a rail driver.
Loads can be transferred among the fixed and rotary racks by the combination of the vertical movement of the rails, the travel of the carriage, the turning of the turntable, and the operation of the means of transfer. The transfer of loads to and from the rotary racks involves turning these racks suitably.
In order to increase the number of loads that can be stored in the fixed racks, it is necessary to increase the storage spaces in number by making these racks higher or longer. If the storage equipment is installed in a room or house small in scale or size, however, the fixed racks cannot be enlarged. For example, if the storage equipment is installed in a special room such as a clean room, which is limited in size, it is not easy for the equipment to have large fixed racks.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide compact load storage equipment that can store a large number of loads, and into which loads can be easily placed, and out of which loads can be easily taken.
Load storage equipment according to the present invention comprises a rotary rack, a transferrer, a fixed rack and an inlet-outlet port. The rotary rack includes a number of vertically arranged stages of turning load supports, which can rotate around a first vertical axis. The transferrer is positioned side by side with the rotary rack and includes a carrier, which can turn on a second vertical axis and move vertically. The fixed rack is positioned in a space around the transferrer and includes a number of vertically arranged stages of fixed load supports. The inlet-outlet port overlaps with one of the rotary and fixed racks (vertically) in plan view. The transferrer can transfer loads between the carrier and any one of the turning and fixed load supports, and between the carrier and the inlet-outlet port, by means of the turning and vertical movement of the carrier, or by means of the combination of the turning and vertical movement of the carrier and the turning of the turning load supports.
The carrier of the transferrer can receive a load from the inlet-outlet port. It is possible to load the received load onto any one of the turning load supports by turning the rotary rack to shift this load support to a transfer position between the rack and the transferrer, turning and/or vertically moving the carrier to shift it to a position near the load support in the transfer position, as the need arises, and activating the shifted carrier to transfer the received load onto the load support. It is also possible to load the received load onto any one of the fixed load supports by turning and/or vertically moving the carrier to shift it to a position near the load support, as the need arises, and activating the shifted carrier to transfer the received load onto the load support.
By reversing the loading processes, it is possible to unload a load from any one of the turning and fixed load supports and carry the unloaded load to the inlet-outlet port by means of the carrier of the transferrer. It is also possible to unload a load from any one of the turning and fixed load supports and reload the unloaded load onto another turning or fixed load support by means of the carrier.
As stated above, the single transferrer can load and unload both the rotary and fixed racks. Differently from the prior art, the carrier of the transferrer does not travel along the fixed rack, but turns and moves vertically. Accordingly, the carrier does not require a large space to travel. The carrier is important in loading and unloading the rotary rack. The fixed rack may be positioned in a space around the transferrer. By making the carrier rotatable on the second vertical axis, it is possible to load and unload the fixed rack by means of the transferrer. Because the transferrer does not need to travel, the carrier can move downward near the floor so that the rotary and fixed racks may include additional stages of turning and fixed load supports respectively near the floor to store more loads. Because the inlet-outlet port overlaps with one of the rotary and fixed racks in plan view, there is no need for an exclusive space in plan view for the port.
Thus, the rotary and fixed racks can store a large number of loads, while the storage equipment can be simple and compact. It will accordingly be understood that the storage equipment can be built or placed suitably in a clean room or another special or dimensionally limited space.
It is preferable that the inlet-outlet port should overlap with the fixed rack in plan view in such a manner that loads can be transferred directly between the port and the carrier of the transferrer.
If the inlet-outlet port overlaps with the rotary rack in plan view, one or more of the stages of turning load supports would need removal so as not to interfere with the port. It is preferable that two or more fixed racks be arranged around the transferrer. If the inlet-outlet port overlaps with one of the fixed racks, the port is positioned in the portion of this rack where one or more fixed load supports would otherwise be positioned. The other fixed racks are full of stages of fixed load supports. In this case, more loads can be stored than in the case of the inlet-outlet port overlapping with the rotary rack. If the inlet-outlet port overlaps with the rotary rack, no load could be transferred directly between the port and the transferrer, and another transferrer may be needed for relaying loads between them. If the inlet-outlet port overlaps with one of the fixed racks, loads can be transferred directly between the port and the carrier of the transferrer, and there is no need of a relay transferrer.
It is preferable that the fixed rack should include at least two fixed racks. At least one of the fixed racks is positioned on each side of the vertical plane on which the first and second vertical axes extend. It is also preferable that the inlet-outlet port should include an inlet port and an outlet port, each of which overlaps with one of the fixed racks in plan view. The inlet and outlet ports are arranged in parallel with each other in such a manner that loads can be carried through them in directions parallel to the vertical plane.
The inlet and outlet ports can be positioned side by side in an end portion of the storage equipment in plan view. This makes it possible to arrange the inlet and outlet ports and other equipment components, and to conveniently provide a conveyor for conveying loads to the inlet port and from the outlet port, in comparison with load storage equipment including an inlet port and an outlet port that extend radially to the turning axis of a transferrer.
An inner end portion of each of the inlet and outlet ports may overlap with the associated fixed rack in plan view. A load in the inner end portion of each port can be shifted between an angular position parallel with the vertical plane and an angular position where the load can be transferred between the port and the carrier of the transferrer. This makes it possible to carry loads in the same angular position, which is parallel with the vertical plane, through the inlet and outlet ports. Consequently, a conveyor for conveying loads to the inlet port and from the outlet port can be provided conveniently, and loads can be carried conveniently through the ports. Additionally, the carrier of the transferrer is simple in structure, as compared with a case where the angular position of a load needs shifting on a carrier that needs turning and vertically moving.
The transferrer may include a fixed post, a lift and a turner. The lift can move vertically along the fixed post. The turner is supported by the lift and rotatable on the second vertical axis. The turner supports the carrier in such a manner that the carrier can protrude and retract radially from the second vertical axis. A load can be transferred between the carrier and each of the turning and fixed load supports by the protrusion, retraction and vertical movement of the carrier.
In this case, the rotational driver and bearing of the transferrer are less burdened, and the transferrer is stable, safe, and easy to make, as compared with a case where the entire transferrer, inclusive of the fixed post, would otherwise be supported rotatably on the second vertical axis. Additionally, the transferrer may take the form of a running fork for its transfer operation. The transferrer in this form does not require that a load be fitted with a special part enabling it to be transferred. The transferrer in this form can safely transfer any load having a bottom that can be supported stably on the transferrer. The transferrer in this form is simple in structure.
The carrier of the transferrer may include a horizontal plate. Each of the turning and fixed load supports may be a shelf having a recess, through which the carrier can move vertically when it has protruded. Each of the turning load supports may have a first positioning pin protruding upward from it. The carrier may have a second positioning pin protruding upward from it. Each of the fixed load supports may have a third positioning pin protruding upward from it. Each of the loads may have a bottom with an engaging means for engaging with the positioning pins.
When the carrier of the transferrer turns, protrudes and retracts with a load on it, and when the rotary rack turns with loads each on one of the turning load supports, inertia acts on the loads. The positioning pins engaging with the loads prevent the loads from being transferred abnormally by shifting out of position due to the inertia, an earthquake, agitation, vibration or the like. The positioning pins also prevent loads from falling from the rotary and fixed racks and the transferrer. This makes the storage equipment safer.
The second positioning pin may stand on a peripheral portion of the carrier of the transferrer. Each of the first and third positioning pins may stand in a position that is near to the second positioning pin when the carrier is positioned in the recess of the associated load support. The engaging means of each load may be a bottom slot for engaging with the second positioning pin and one of the first and third positioning pins at the same time.
Each load can be positioned in place with its bottom slot engaging with one or two of the positioning pins. The bottom slot makes it possible to reduce the number of engaging means that need providing at the bottom of each load. Accordingly, bottom slots are easy to form in various types of load.
The shelves of the rotary and fixed racks may be identical in shape, and the first and third positioning pins may be identical in shape. In this case, each of the turning and fixed load supports can be the same type of shelf with a positioning pin, and consequently the production cost can be reduced.
The rotary and fixed racks and the transferrer may be positioned in a storage chamber defined in a housing. Loads can be carried through the inlet-outlet port between the storage chamber and a clean room outside the chamber. The storage chamber can effectively store the loads carried from the clean room.